"The first truth is that the liberty of a democracy is not safe if the people tolerate the growth of private power to a point where it becomes stronger than their democratic state itself. That, in its essence, is fascism — ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. ”
— Franklin D. Roosevelt

3 comments:

Stands and applauds. Now that's what they have to do. Now, somewhat OT:

As far as the local Obama group, I'm a new member but frustrated with the direction so far. I am assuming that many people in Memphis were registered to vote by this group last weekend, because I saw the group's activity on the news and because one very good member quoted me the prior weekend's stats.

But signing up for the listserve has not resulted in the receipt of good information about these activities. Since the local group had no phone at last check, you had to go to the website, which, if down, well, out of luck, Charlie. The listserve has been used for spamming fashion websites, unleashing us-vs.-them diatribes, and generating "please take me off the list" requests from beleaguered new members.

Public notice: Energizing the base will do only so much. Exhausting the base will do zip. Not reaching out to independents, undecideds and swing voters is a pragmatic dead end. Obama can do nothing until/unless he's elected.

Good work is limited in scope. Cyberblather (yes, like this)lasts forever.

contraltodelte,Our phone should be getting hooked up this week. As of today, the volunteer office in Eastgate is open and staffed full-time, and we would love to have you stop by. Even better, why don't you join us on Saturday for one of our city-wide voter registration events? We'll see you at 9am.

I can sympathize with your frustration with the listserv to a point, but there is much, much more to this local campaign effort that one email list. As for the website being down, seeing as web-based organized has been the central focus on this campaign since its inception, I fail to believe that it has been inoperative for any great length of time, seeing as it is accessed successfully by thousands and thousands of visitors worldwide every day.

Public notice: we are so far from "exhausting the base" of support in Memphis that it's not even funny. Until every last eligible voter is registered and knows where, when, and how to vote, I simply can't accept the logic of your argument.

IF DEMOCRATS IN SHELBY COUNTY VOTE, TENNESSEE GOES BLUE. The math is simple and self-evident. We have the numbers to make it happen. All we need is the drive and determination of more volunteers who are willing to be part of the solution.

Anyone who has further questions about Memphis For Obama is invited to contact me personally at kerry.hayes@gmail.com.

Kerry, I hope your math is right. I've been told that Shelby County always goes blue, and that even middle Tennessee is leaning bluer than in the past, but that east TN is going to make the state go red.

One factor is that Memphis, having the highest (Memphis/Shelby county)combined tax rate in the state, has been losing population to other areas. The folks that remain are fewer, poorer, less educated, less politically involved. OTOH, a lot of people from "blue" places like LA and NYC are moving here. I hope to high heavens your math is better than mine. Register everybody, get out the vote, I love the energy of it.

Maybe this time is different. But Gore and Kerry, to my knowledge, carried Shelby County last time, amid a sea of red. Given that, we need some blue and purple elswhere in the state.